Book Review: Bull Moon Rising by Ruby Dixon

I need to start this review with a little bit of context for you. I was vaguely aware of Ruby Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarian's before picking up Bull Moon Rising. I had not read any of Dixon's work and ultimately pick up Bull Moon Rising based on the cover alone. It's pink and blue and sparkly.

I incorrectly assumed going into the book that it was all going to be monster f*cker smut. Don't get me wrong, I have read enough orc barbarian romances. I know not to bat an eye at an appendage as big as a forearm and as wide as a tree trunk. I was fully prepared for myriad bodily fluids.

I am writing this review after reading Bull Moon Rising, devouring about half of Ice Planet Barbarians, and squealing over the delightful sequel to Bull Moon Rising: By the Horns. I have also had two glasses of wine, so this is going to be all sorts of unfiltered.

Ruby Dixon's writing is unhinged, in the best way possible. Dixon puts her characters in impossible situations, then asks "what is the wackiest way they can get out of this one?". I knew what to expect for the spice. It was explicit, and plentiful, and what one would expect for there being a bull on the cover of a romance novel. What I didn't expect was Dixon's thoughtful worldbuilding and charming characterization. Many books into the Dixon canon now, I can expect both, but going into Bull Moon Rising blind, I really had no idea what to expect. I think that's what is so wonderful about this book. If you are a die-hard Dixon fan, this is sure to please: it has all of her trademarks of a monster male meets human female romance. There's culture clashes, questions over whether "it" will fit, and plenty of growling and grumbling (growling from the male, and grumbling from the female). When things get hot, it really amps up the chemistry between the leads. You see that there really is love there and not just desire.

If you have never read a Ruby Dixon novel before, then what you can expect from Bull Moon Rising is a complex world, unforgettable characters, steamy romance, and lots of the aforementioned bodily fluids. But at the heart of the novel, it's an archeological romp. Yes, the fantasy romance with a bull on the cover, is primarily action and adventure.

Vastwarren is home to the Royal Artifactual Guild. Built over ruins, the city entices adventurers, treasure hunters, and those looking to make a quick buck to comb through its depths for magical artifacts. Aspeth is one such adventurer. The only problem is she's a woman and she's a noble. She tries to keep the fact that she's a noble a secret while she trains to join the guild. To do that, she requires a chaperone. Enter Hawk, her minotaur teacher who needs someone to have sex with for the full moon while he's godtouched (read: super horny and uncomfortable). What did I tell you about wacky solutions?

Bull Moon Rising has a few of my favorite tropes, the main being marriage of convenience. I love the satisfaction of two strangers saying "I do" for practical reasons only to come out of it madly in love. The characters are older and more mature. Aspeth, as a noble, is very bad at adventuring and is allowed to be very bad at it by Dixon. She doesn't become the world's best adventurer at the end of it and while she learns and trains, she ultimately finds something she is suited for and passionate about. While the algorithm trains on what is popular right now (a girl who is someone impoverished but also the most powerful being in the land), Aspeth is a breath of fresh air. Hawk also is a refreshing male lead. There's a lot of "my wife"-ing going on (it is a marriage of convenience), but he does try understand and support Aspeth.

The secondary characters are also quiet lovely. There's Gwenna, Aspeth's former maid; Kip, a slitherskin who communicates using hand gestures; Lark, the comic relief; and Mereden, the healer. You can really feel the camaraderie the group has for each other. Dixon ensures that the trust they have has been earned so that when they have to save each other, it comes across as real and earnest.

If I keep typing, I might give things away. I have been having an absolute blast reading through By the Horns (and it is just as good, if not better). I cannot wait to see what Dixon has in store for us for the rest of the series.

You can find Bull Moon Rising here. The sequel By the Horns is also out now. They are such fun books, even if you aren't a typical lover of monsters.